


Mastubari, in the Latin

by meridian_rose (meridianrose)



Category: Firefly
Genre: Etymology, Gen, Masturbation, Merry Month of Masturbation Challenge 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-07
Updated: 2015-05-07
Packaged: 2018-03-29 11:25:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3894571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meridianrose/pseuds/meridian_rose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>River knows the etymology, she knows the basics, but she needs more than dry jargon to understand and explore her sexuality.<br/>For MMOM and the allbingo prompt "masturbation".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mastubari, in the Latin

She knew the etymology. Masturbate; from Latin _masturbārī_ , possibly from _manus_ (hand) + _turbare_ (to throw into disorder). River had known about puberty, body parts, and reproduction, since she was four years old.

Biological functions were interesting to learn about, although not as fascinating as other subjects. It had always puzzled her that her older brother who would become a medical doctor – even, in fact, after he became a medical doctor – could be so embarrassed about the subject of sex.

Simon could put on his "doctor persona" and talk calmly and sensibly about all aspects of sex, about menstruation, about genitalia, about masturbation. Except when he didn't have his doctor head on, as River sometimes thought of it - and in particular when he was talking to River - he forgot all the precise terminology and became flustered.

As such, River had decided not to mention her sexual urges and her desire to masturbate. (It had been banned at the Academy even before their brains were rewired to function in ways that the scientists wanted. Pleasure was never on their agenda in any form. It encouraged contentment at best and disobedience at worse.) She understood the basics, but she wanted more than dry medical jargon describing the mechanics. She wanted to talk about it, and she wanted to explore sexuality and sensuality more fully.

This wasn't a discussion her brother was suited for. Simon would only get red in the face and, though he would try to be reasonable, he'd be mortified. She couldn't blame him. She was his little sister, and he'd rescued her and helped put her back together. It was natural that he'd have a difficult time thinking of her as a woman now, a capable and curious adult.

She wanted to talk to Inara, who was never flustered about anything. River was fairly certain Inara had access to toys that might help River in her quest to discover more about her own body and ways of achieving orgasm. But Inara was with a client and wouldn't be back for another few days. When she returned, River planned to go to the companion's shuttle, preferably when Simon was otherwise occupied and wouldn't notice.

In the meantime River had found sensations she liked, lying on her bunk, working with her own fingers, practising specific breathing patterns, and revelling in the resulting orgasms. Using her hand to bring about, if not disorder in the sense of unwanted chaos, then glorious turmoil.

**Author's Note:**

> Most online dictionaries agree with the introductory etymology of the word. The [online etymology dictionary](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=masturbation) gives more detail, including the idea that "perhaps the first element represents an unattested *mazdo- "penis" [OED]. An earlier technical word for this was Onanism." I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by the penis/male emphasis.


End file.
